ARTEM
Grey/Appaloosa Miniature Shetland
DOB: May 2014
We were contacted by Essex Police early one morning in the winter of 2014. As they had found a small pony wandering towards the busy A13 at near to the Sanctuary. He had obviously been tethered for some time and had a tight head collar on, as well as bale twine wrapped around his nose which was cutting into his face. The kindly Police Officers on the scene was so concerned at the appalling state of the little colt, that they felt he needed to be with a welfare centre.
Two of our staff went out immediately and collected the little fellow. It was evident to us that he was poorly, as well as underweight and wormy. Artem was diagnosed with an infection by our vets which was affecting his liver function. After a course of medication and supplements, and a proper feeding regime, little Artem soon started to make a recovery. He was initially scared of other ponies, so we paired him up with Zorro, another Miniature Shetland who is just a few months older than Artie. The plan paid off and the pair now play together, graze together and share a stable.
One of our long term volunteers already has her name down as a fosterer for the two lads when they are old enough.
ZOE
Piebald Shetland X Mare
DOB: 1992
Zoe came into our care back in February 2001, having been abandoned in a farmer’s field in the area. He took it up himself to load Zoe and her two companions onto a cattle truck and dumped them unceremoniously in our carpark and proceed to drive off. He told us either we took them or he would shoot all three! The Police were duly informed, but no one ever came forward to claim ownership. Zoe was heavily in foal at the time of her arrival with Phoenix, who was safely delivered just a couple of months later.
Zoe eventually went to a foster home as a companion with Delilah EHPPS for a number of years, returning to the Sanctuary in September 2013, due to a change in their fosterer’s circumstances.
LULU
Bay Thoroughbred X Mare
DOB: 2011
One the evening of 11 March 2013 we were informed about three horses in the locality standing up to their chests in freezy, icy water. The whole field was submerged with no where for them to stand. The temperature was minus 4 degrees that night and it had started to snow. Our Sanctuary Manager and one of the grooms found one of the horses, Bonnie, standing on the railway level crossing line; Lulu was in the road and Maia, an elderly mare with badly deformed legs caused by severe arthritis. The two loose horses were soon caught and the Police informed. They asked if we could take the horses back to the Sanctuary on learning that the fencing to the field was badly damaged. The snow was a blizzard by this time and the staff could hardly see beyond their noses. It took over four hours to locate a large enough horse box that could hold all three, as well as a horsebox driver who was willing to come out so late at night in heavy snow. They eventually found a lady at 10.30pm who was willing to come to the rescue. It took her a while to reach the area and by the time they had the horses safely loaded and were making their way back to the Sanctuary, is was well past midnight. We had no free stables at all, but rugged them all up so they were warm, gave them plentiful hay and fresh water and a semi-sheltered field. Maia’s feet were in dire need of corrective farriery as she had collapsed heels; all three were underweight.
Maia enjoyed a summer with us before we had to make the decision to have her peaceably put to sleep as her arthritis was deteriorating. Bonnie and Lulu have flourished since they have been with us. We shall be looking to eventually back and school Lulu and then search for a suitable foster home for her. Bonnie was backed, but absolutely hated being ridden. For that reason, we stopped the process and ended up finding her a loving foster home as a companion.
BOBBY
Skewbald Shetland Gelding
DOB: 1998
Bobby’s owner badly neglected this little chap, especially with regards to his farriery. He was eventually relinquished to EHPPS as she was claiming that he was dangerous around her children. Bobby is actually one of the sweetest little characters ever – we can only think that he objected being the plaything for six children!
Bobby need specialised and corrective farriery for the first couple of years he was with us. He was also diagnosed with Equine Metabolic Syndrome shortly after coming to us. As Bobby’s care is so complex, we would not consider fostering him out as he has settled so well at the Sanctuary. He receives daily medication and supplements, and has his blood tested regularly to check his sugar levels, as well as x-rays to his feet to ensure that he isn’t suffering from any pedal bone rotation.
BILLIE
Piebald Cob Gelding
DOB: 2009
Billie and his companion, Georgie, were abandoned in a field in a rural area of Essex in mid-2010. A local resident reported their plight to us as they had been left tethered to a telegraph pole and had no food or water for days, except for what this kind lady was giving them. Essex Police were informed of the abandonment and the predicament the youngsters were in. We duly brought them back to the Sanctuary to care for them while trying to locate an owner. Horse Watch were alerted but no one ever came forward to lay claim to them.
Georgie was very laid back, but Billie took a long long time to start to trust us. Both boys were backed in mid-2013 and turned away for the winter, their training resuming in the spring of 2014. We are currently seeking a suitable foster home for Billie where his schooling and education can properly continue.
WILL
Skewbald Cob X Trotter
DOB: January 2012
Will came into our care following calls we were receiving about his young owner not properly caring for him. The owner was young, had no equine experience and no source of income whatsoever. Will needed gelding, innoculating, passporting, worming and delousing.
Our informant had found him tied to a tree outside a pub one evening in May 2014. He had been tied with a lunge line and had become badly entangled. She was told by his owner (who was in the pub!) that they had just been thrown off a livery yard as she couldn’t afford to pay the rent. She had been wandering the streets with the youngster in tow. A local livery yard was persuaded to take him for that night and EHPPS arranged his collection the following morning.
We were later informed that the young lady who had owned Will had been tying him to a tree in the local woods every day and then taking him into her one bedroomed Council flat at night!!! She readily agreed to EHPPS taking Will on. You can only imagine our dismay when we discovered a couple of weeks later that the same young lady was looking to take another horse on …………….. Where does it all end?
PIPER
Tricolour Trotter X Gelding
DOB: January 2013
Piper and his companion, Jasper, were left illegally flygrazed in a field for some weeks. A local lady was providing water for them and forever putting them back in the field from which they kept escaping onto the road as the gate was hanging off its hinges. One day she’d had enough and called EHPPS when they got out again. We collected the pair on behalf of Essex Police and brought them back to the Sanctuary for safety. They remained unclaimed. Piper, just a yearling, was very underweight and lethargic on arrival. What alarmed us more was that he had road shoes hanging off his feet. He was far too young to be either shod or driven. Although Jasper was a gelding, young Piper was still entire. When he is old enough, we shall be looking to back and school Piper in readiness for him to seek a foster home.